Paris Fashion Week fall 2013: Lanvin review

Booth Moore

PARIS -- A live band, popcorn and a bit of bubbly set the mood all right. If there is one Paris designer who knows how to throw a runway party, it’s Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz, who presented his fall 2013 collection Thursday night at Paris Fashion Week.

The look: Boy meets girl. Fun and fearless. Full-skirted party frocks with floral appliques; silk shifts whirred into sculptural shapes; riffs on the tuxedo, including a smoke-colored, ruffle-front blouse tucked into black trousers. Gold necklaces that spelled out the words “Cool,” “Help” and “Love” in oversized cursive letters added to the happy mood. And the beaded bugs and flowers on the sleeves of blouses were the icing on the cake. Nestled between the playful looks were some powerful tailored coats, day dresses, and drop-dead gorgeous black dresses of a more serious nature, including one instant classic, which was sleeveless, asymmetrically draped and gathered to one side.

The verdict: A little bit of everything that women have grown to love about Lanvin.